Infrared and microwave radiative properties of metal coated microfibres

Recent experimental investigations have shown that insulations containing metallised glass or polymer fibres are characterised by an extremely high extinction coefficient for infrared radiation and, as a result, by very good heat shielding properties. This may be explained by the unusual optical properties of single fibres. In this paper, the most general theoretical model for the radiation absorption and scattering by metallised fibres is employed. It is based on the rigorous theory of scattering by an arbitrary oriented two-layer cylinder and may be used for calculations in a wide spectral range. The accuracy of some simple models of metallised fibres is analysed. In particular, the range of applicability of the perfectly conducting cylinder approximation is determined. A comparison with published experimental data shows good agreement between the calculated and the experimental values of the equivalent specific extinction coefficients in the spectral range of 2.5 < λ < 27.5 μm. Computational data on the absorption and scattering of microwave radiation by metallised dielectric fibres are presented for the first time. High values of the absorption efficiency factor for single submicron fibres may be of interest for microwave applications.